Speak of The Devil

My older brother nodded as he shook off the stiffness. With a casual attitude, he responded to my words, “If you’re in that kind of position, using the simplest method is the best.”“The simplest method…?”“You don’t need to know that.”But why do I feel like I know what that method is? I can’t think of anything other than killing Jung Yiyeon in my mind. Am I trash?As if my thoughts were transparent, my brother laughed. With an almost too quick understanding, he tousled my hair like he would to a younger sibling and laughed.“It’s a thoroughly rational judgment.”“I don’t think so.”“If you lose your rationality, you won’t think like this. It almost happened earlier.”I was genuinely surprised. My brother was aware that he was faster with his fists than he thought. And it worried me a bit.“I’ll handle my business on my own. Don’t worry about it, hyung.”Indeed, relying on my brother’s help was not an option. The rational brother would find a way to eliminate Jung Yiyeon, and the brother who lost rationality might end up killing Jung Yiyeon in a fit of rage.“If you’re meeting someone you really don’t want to meet and you’re doing it against your will, let me know.”“No, it’s not like that.”In the end, I chose to lie. Once again, I vowed to myself that I had to make sure my brother never found out about the ten demands for sex.“We’re meeting again tonight. It’s a bit bothersome, but treat me well.”“Hmm. Fine then.”Fortunately, my brother trusted my words. Suddenly, he yawned.“I need to get some sleep. I’m tired.”I didn’t know what he did that made him come home early in the morning, but now he truly looked exhausted. This reunion conversation between brothers ended here. My brother went into his room.Alone in the living room, which doubled as my room, I lay sprawled on the bed.I instinctively reached for my phone, but as expected, it remained lifeless and refused to turn on. Normally, I would look at my phone until bedtime and then fall asleep, but ironically, not looking at my phone made drowsiness overwhelm me. Upon reflection, it seemed I hadn’t slept properly, which left me feeling tired.I decided to take a short nap and then go buy a new phone. Without resisting the overwhelming sleepiness, I closed my eyes.In reality, my mind was restless. Too much had happened since the morning. I had poured out my anger at Jung Yiyeon without fully waking up, received fellatio, and then my brother suddenly appeared…Emotions roller-coastered in response to the series of exploding bombs within a short period. Thanks to that, my mind was thoroughly exhausted, and falling asleep happened in an instant.I woke up around lunchtime. When I came out after washing up, my brother was already up, and we went out together for lunch. After finishing a bowl of rice with kimchi stew, I headed out to buy a new phone.I insisted that I had enough money for this, but my brother insisted on using his card to pay for the phone. Gratefully accepting, I vowed never to throw my phone in a fit of anger again. In truth, I was angry at the thought that this expenditure was also due to Jung Yiyeon. I should have just taken the card and swiped it secretly. Silently, I vented my frustration.Back home, I lay on the bed, fidgeting with the new phone. Installing the necessary apps, I realized that I couldn’t remember the apps I used because my original phone had met a spectacular end. While trying to connect the dead phone to the computer to salvage stored data, time passed relentlessly amid the chaos.Meanwhile, it was one thing after another. Drinking and fighting after emotions escalated had consequences that lasted longer than expected.I couldn’t help but sigh when I installed the messaging app. Taehoon’s messages were, of course, full of Jaeho’s contacts. I hesitated to read the accumulated messages.Ignoring them completely seemed like Jaeho might come to my house. I knew he detested such actions, but human hearts are like that. If it’s going to end anyway, you feel compelled to try everything you can.I didn’t hope for Jaeho to come while my brother was at home. With my brother back, having Jung Yiyeon as an unwelcome guest in this house was more than enough.When I opened Jaeho’s messages, they were filled with messages expressing concern for me. He probably called me multiple times too. Since I had drunk quite a bit last night and couldn’t sleep well due to worrying, I sent him a message.I explained that my phone was broken, and now that my brother was back home, he shouldn’t worry.I was once generous enough to try to soothe Jaeho’s tormented heart the day before, but now I was just tired. Human hearts can be so treacherous. I feel truly sorry, but to Jaeho, he was just at that level.I almost asked if the boss at Blue Hole was very angry, but stopped myself. If there were any issues, he would have brought them up first. With such a petty mindset, I brushed it off. There was already enough complexity, and I didn’t have the energy to deal with it proactively.“What time are you leaving?”“Me? At seven.”The clock already showed six o’clock.It would have been a long way to Jung Yiyeon’s house by seven, but I planned to have dinner at home first and go slowly. There was no need to rush to the appointment time. Remembering how satisfying it was to irritate Jung Yiyeon earlier, I wanted to tease her a bit more.“Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride on my way out.” Huh. This wasn’t right. I was momentarily perplexed.“Going out?”“Yeah, I have some work to do, so I’ll go out and have dinner. Will you come out and eat too?”“Uh, well, you don’t have to give me a ride. I can go by myself.”“Don’t be stubborn. When I offer you a ride, get up. Put on your clothes.”No, this guy thinks I’m fine, so why suddenly offer me a ride?I felt awkward. There had been many times before when we had similar times for going out, and my brother had often given me a ride. At those times, of course, I gratefully accepted the ride. It felt awkward to refuse now, especially since I had never turned him down before.“No, I’m really fine…”When someone who usually just says okay refuses, there must be a reason. As always, Ion was quick to pick up on things. Seeing me reject his offer to give me a ride, his eyes narrowed again.“We’re going to meet at his place, so it’s okay. You don’t have to give me a ride.”“I think it’s better if I know Jung Yiyeon’s place.”Suddenly, I wondered if this was perhaps my brother’s way of keeping an eye on me. Was he going to follow us to the place where Jung Yiyeon and I were meeting just to make sure it wasn’t something else? If the situation really required it, like if I had to get rid of Jung Yiyeon, knowing the location in advance would be convenient, so was he suggesting that he wanted to know it?“Why? Is there something I shouldn’t know?” No, damn it… Did I act so suspiciously in front of Ion? I thought I hid my emotions well enough, but Ion seemed to be suspicious of me.“It’s not like that. I just mentioned it because I’ll eat at home and then go.”“We’re meeting at seven, and you’re going to eat dinner before meeting?”Why is this guy suddenly grasping at straws and dragging on the conversation? If someone has work, they can eat separately and meet later. Since we’re meeting to have sex anyway, there’s no need to eat together. I thought about saying it blatantly but hesitated for a moment.Suddenly, my phone rang. I felt relieved at receiving a call that saved me in front of Ion. However, my mood sank further when I saw the screen.On the phone was the unavoidable name of Jung Yiyeon, which I had no choice but to save.“Hello.”But in front of my brother, I couldn’t not answer the call. I consoled myself, thinking it was fortunate that I could avoid my brother’s inquiries, and answered Jung Yiyeon’s call.Where are you?“At home.”I’m on my way to pick you up.“… Now?”I left work a bit early. I’m almost there. Come out in 5 minutes.Damn it, does this guy listen to my words through his nostrils? I clearly told him not to come to my house today in the morning, and less than 12 hours later, he’s saying he’s on his way. It was unbelievable. I wanted to pour out my overwhelming emotions randomly.However, in front of Ion, who was silently watching me answer the phone, I couldn’t bring myself to shout and express my hatred for Jung Yiyeon. “… Okay.”I ended the call after responding. Does Jung Yiyeon really think my brother is at home, and I can’t do anything about it, so he can come to my house as he pleases? If he’s that shameless, he might easily manipulate the situation. The feeling of being played by Jung Yiyeon was not pleasant at all.“He’s coming to pick me up.”The craziest part is that I can’t express it in front of my brother. I casually went to the wardrobe to prepare to go out. Putting on jeans and a short-sleeved t-shirt was enough preparation. When I came out of the room, my brother was either waiting for me or trying to go out with me.Damn it, I already hate going to meet Jung Yiyeon, and now I have to be aware of my brother’s gaze? Moreover, I’m starting to get hungry, and I don’t even know what’s going on with this nonsense.But of course, I couldn’t show it. Accompanied by my brother, I took the elevator down to the first floor. Luckily, Jung Yiyeon’s car was approaching the front of the apartment.“I’ll go.”“Are you going to be late?”“Uh… I don’t know.”“Okay, go ahead. If you need money, just use my card.”“Uh, if I need it, I’ll use it. Thanks.”Wow. This is a windfall. Two people telling me to use their cards in one day. Of course, it was more comforting for my brother to tell me to use the card than Jung Yiyeon trying to give me his. Naturally, I was grateful.Despite being only a year apart, since our parents passed away, my brother has always considered himself my guardian and has been generous to me. I don’t know what he does outside, but he’s undoubtedly a good brother to me.I didn’t want to cause him any worries. Six more times to go. If I can endure today’s meeting, five more times. That’s all I had to endure. Maybe it was because I gathered my emotions, or perhaps my brother coming home made me feel a bit more stable. From yesterday until this morning, I was furious because of Jung Yiyeon, as if I was going to explode. But now, my emotions were quite numb. Leaving my brother behind, I got into the passenger seat of Jung Yiyeon’s car. Jung Yiyeon, who left work and came to pick me up, was wearing a gray suit with a wine-colored tie. His hair was meticulously styled, and it was a perfect outfit, but exhaustion was evident on his face. Nevertheless, he managed his expression as if there had been no morning incident.Feeling that kind of face was shameful, but it was a thing of the past. Whether it was tough due to work or mentally challenging due to stress caused by me, I didn’t care anymore. So, I just kept my mouth shut. Jung Yiyeon also maintained silence.It was the end of summer. The sun was gradually setting in the sky at six o’clock. It was a clear day, and the yellow light created by the setting sun was vividly visible. Despite such nice weather, why was I sitting like this with Jung Yiyeon in this car? Moreover, I was hungry now. Going to take a shower, having sex, and then another shower would take about two hours, right? I was worried about how persistently Jung Yiyeon would torment people. If my body, which was already exhausted, also got hungry, my situation would be too miserable.“Did you eat dinner?” I was slightly surprised by the sudden question. The timing was so ironic that I wondered if he somehow read my mind.“I couldn’t have dinner because I came straight from work. Let’s eat together.” It was the time when Jung Yiyeon probably didn’t have dinner either.However, I initially resisted Jung Yiyeon’s proposal. I was hungry too, but I didn’t want to go out for a meal with him. I wasn’t the kind of person who acted immature and fussy like this, but in front of Jung Yiyeon, who constantly made me fail at emotional control, I felt like just going with the flow.“I wonder why.” Even though I was hungry, I didn’t want to go out for a meal with him willingly. I wasn’t the type to act so childish, but now I just felt like going along with whatever.“I’ll buy you something delicious. After eating, let’s have dessert.” Ah, damn it. Why would I want to eat with you after scolding you so much in the morning? The awkward and uncomfortable feeling surged up again. I was more annoyed because my stomach was now growling. I wanted to eat something, but the situation where I had no choice but to have a meal with Jung Yiyeon was quite irritating. Although I felt frustrated, I threw out a deal.“If you include the fourth time with sex, then maybe we can eat together.”“You’re shameless. Haven’t you already given in too easily twice? So, let’s eat together and then have sex this time.”Did Jung Yiyeon lack pride? How could he persistently cling to someone like this? And he said it so shamelessly. It made me irritated again, and my hunger made it even more annoying. I wanted to eat something, but I felt annoyed because eating with Jung Yiyeon was the only option to satisfy my hunger. Frustrated, I muttered, “Do as you please.” It was pointless to keep getting angry at a crazy person. Taking a deep breath, I decided to follow my instinct, which was telling me that I was hungry.If I weren’t hungry, I wouldn’t have agreed whether Jung Yiyeon had dinner or not. Jung Yiyeon needed to know that I didn’t weaken my feelings towards him. Of course, whether he misunderstood and made assumptions on his own was irrelevant to me.I blankly stared out the window, keeping my mouth shut. Jung Yiyeon, too, seemed satisfied after achieving his goal and didn’t initiate any further conversation.The car ran silently for 30 minutes in silence. It was unthinkable that we would come this far, so there was a sense of absurdity. Moreover, I was getting more and more hungry, so I became annoyed.When I was trying to suppress the urge to shout, “We don’t need anything fancy; let’s just eat a hamburger or something,” by force, the car arrived in front of a serene traditional Korean house. Following Jung Yiyeon, as we entered, graceful ladies in hanbok greeted us.From the entrance, it was overflowing with a sophisticated atmosphere, and indeed, it turned out to be an enormous Korean restaurant. As we sat down, the table was laid out without the need to choose anything, almost to the point of being overwhelming. There were not only meat dishes but also raw fish, braised fish, and not only soup but also stew.When the lady in hanbok, elegantly setting the table, opened the lid of the organic rice bowl with a delicate complexion, there was white rice inside. Each grain glistened with moisture. While other dishes were excellent too, the smell of warm rice was stimulating my appetite.“I hope it suits your taste. Eat a lot.”After the ladies who set the table left, Jung Yiyeon picked up a spoon and said. Although I wanted to snap back that I wouldn’t let rice pass my lips while facing him, my body was faithful to instinct. My mouth was not uttering curses right now but was in chaos, wanting to put the food in front of me into my mouth.As much as the appearance and smell, the food was excellent in every aspect. The translucent-aged raw fish melted in the mouth. The plump steamed sea bream was also tender and juicy. There was no fishy taste at all. The grilled beef was delicious, and even the pickled fish or vegetables were superb. Each dish contained a profound flavor that couldn’t be described as the taste of seasonings.It wasn’t food I would put my spoon down in front of just because Jung Yiyeon was there. Moreover, I was already busy eating because I was hungry since six o’clock.“Want some alcohol?” Jung Yiyeon asked me, but he didn’t wait for an answer. His hand was already pouring alcohol from the ceramic pot on the table. As he needed to drive, he didn’t touch his glass but filled only mine.When I had the first sex with Jung Yiyeon under his threat, I couldn’t resist him while sober, so I gulped down the liquor. And after waking up, I promised myself not to drink if possible.However, that promise quickly faded away today. It was because the scent wafting from the alcohol captivated my nostrils. The surprisingly sweet fragrance took me aback.Unconsciously, after a half sip, I was even more surprised. It was as if I had just drunk flower water – fragrant, subtly sweet. The typical bitter taste of alcohol was faint, and due to the rich yet smooth aroma, the alcohol content was not noticeable. It even had a refreshing effect, making the food I had eaten so far taste even better.“They call it Sogokju, brewed by themselves. Isn’t it good?”After emptying my glass and nodding my head, he smiled and filled my glass again. I drank another half glass, wondering if it was my misconception, but it was indeed excellent liquor. I even felt like buying a bottle for home.“Drink moderately. This has a pretty high alcohol content.”Although I said that, Jung Yiyeon keenly observed my glass, refilling it without a pause. Before I knew it, we quickly emptied one pitcher.At some point, a warm flush of intoxication began to rise, and I thought I should stop drinking, but there was a mysterious power in this alcohol. If I thought about food while eating, a sip of alcohol would come to mind, and when I drank a sip, my mouth would feel clean, allowing me to taste the food anew. It was a fantastic combination.Thanks to that, when I finished the meal, my stomach was unbelievably full. I was also more intoxicated than I could believe. The flushed cheeks from the alcohol were warm, and my mind kept getting blurry.I drank a lot of alcohol yesterday, and here I am drinking again today. At this rate, could I become an alcoholic? I stood up following Jung Yiyeon, who had risen from his seat, thinking absentmindedly. When I stood up, I was more intoxicated than I thought. Each step felt like stepping on clouds, and my body seemed to float.I struggled to stabilize my body as I climbed into the car. The car with good suspension smoothly glided over the dark road. I blinked my eyes slowly while absentmindedly looking out the window. In no time, it was pitch dark.“Hey, wake up.”In my half-asleep state, someone seemed to be calling my name, shaking my shoulders. Something ticklish kept teasing my lips. The sound of snoring in my ears made it even more annoying. Irritated by the constant disturbance of my sleep, I waved my hand in my half-asleep state.Haha. It sounded like a small laugh. My arm was pulled. I felt warmth spreading through my body. Despite falling asleep in my drunken state, I wriggled against the heat tickling my lips. The rustling sound in my ears was even more irritating. I waved my hand in annoyance to the one bothering my sleep.“Normally, you don’t treat me like this; you’re considering my feelings, right? Because you’re so cute, I might die.”The whispering voice in my ear was incredibly sweet. A voice filled with laughter, making my insides tickle. I squeezed the softness and warmth that filled my hand, grabbing onto the curves through the smooth fabric. It would have been nice if it was soft and squishy, but what was wrapped in the silky cloth was quite firm.“Naughty hands.”The pleasant voice scolded me for some reason. Though I tried to let go of what I held in my hands, my fingers got entangled, and I couldn’t move. From that moment, a tingling sensation began to settle on my forehead, around my eyes, cheeks, and lips.“I….”Why was that voice uttering my name so sweetly and tenderly? Even the breath that reached me was warm and ticklish. It felt like the voice resembled that of a man I had truly loved in the past. Jung Yiyeon. How happy would I have been if you called me by my name like that? Not as a secretary, but as Inan. If you had gently embraced me while calling my name. If you had loved me as much as I desired and loved you. If you had wished for not just my body but also my heart.If that had happened, I would have truly…“Umm…”Somehow, the world seemed brighter. The moment I thought about it, consciousness was pulled from the darkness and emerged onto the surface of wakefulness. I woke up slowly, and my head felt heavy and sluggish.I dreamed something absurd, but I couldn’t remember. It was a dream that felt ticklish and peculiar, with the fever gradually rising. In the end, it felt somewhat melancholic and my heart seemed to tremble…Still, for a dream, it felt like I slept soundly. My head was a bit heavy, and my mind was a bit hazy, but my body felt refreshed. It was a pleasantly cozy feeling, not wanting to open my eyes.Today, of all days, the bed felt unbelievably soft. I couldn’t explain why. The feeling of the sheet wrapping around my naked body was as delightful as luxury bedding in a hotel.However, I was not someone who slept so naked on a regular basis. Living in a house with my brother, using the living room as if it were a bedroom, I usually slept wearing at least a T-shirt and boxers. But why did I feel the sheets tightly wrapped around my legs today?At that moment, a vibrating sound came from somewhere. Unable to ignore the noisy sound as it hit the floor, I reached out towards the direction of the noise. After fumbling and groping a few times, I managed to grab the phone that was on the bedside table.I barely opened one eye and looked at the screen; the displayed name was Seo Jae-oh. This name suddenly felt too distant, as if it had been a long time.“Hello.”– Hey, are you awake? “Uh… Just woke up.”My voice was miserably groggy. Because I hadn’t fully awakened, it sounded a bit nasally.– Oh, sorry. It’s just, it’s my day off, and I was wondering what you were up to. “Uh…”– Is everything okay?I wondered if today was Saturday. The fog in my mind was so thick that I couldn’t think properly. The reason Jae-oh asked me if everything was okay didn’t come to my mind at all.Then suddenly, the memory of my last encounter with Jae-oh came to me. That day, the four of us, including Taehoon and Siwoo, drank together. It didn’t end well that day… I remembered Siwoo irritating me, and in a fit of anger, I punched him. I got hit too. And in the heat of the moment, I threw a few more punches.Right, I got hit too. Thinking about it, when I touched the area near my cheekbone, where Siwoo hit me, my forehead wrinkled. Curious, I sniffed my fingers, and it was the scent of some ointment.Who could have applied it? Was it Won? No, Won might care about me, but he wasn’t the type to be delicate enough to apply ointment on his sleeping brother’s face. If it were Won, he would probably wake me up and suddenly throw the ointment at me, telling me to apply it. No, he wouldn’t even bother with ointment in the first place.If it wasn’t Won, then who was the person by my side while I was sleeping? When my floating thoughts finally reached a certain point, I realized that the wall and ceiling I had been staring at were unfamiliar. I abruptly sat up.“I called yesterday, but you didn’t answer… I was worried, so I called again.”As I got up, my head spun, and my body swayed. The dizziness was severe enough to attribute it to a hangover. My head felt like it was spinning, and my vision was blurry. The speed of my movements began to make me feel a bit queasy.[1] Sogokju, also known as “sit-down drink”, is made of glutinous rice and yeast. Thanks to its slightly sweet and unique flavor, it acquired its nickname.